Israel said to free 2 jailed Hamas parliament members

A third lawmaker reportedly has his administrative detention extended

Israeli soldiers take part in a search operation for three Israeli teenagers believed kidnapped by Palestinian militants, early on June 18, 2014 in the West Bank town of Nablus. (photo credit: AFP/Jaafar Ashtiyeh)

Israel reportedly released Monday two Hamas members from the Palestinian Authority parliament who had been detained during the West Bank operation launched by the IDF in June to find three missing Israeli teens. The three teens were later found to have been killed shortly after they were abducted.

The parliamentarians reportedly released, Khaled Abu Arafa and Muhammad Totach, had been held under administrative detention.

Meanwhile, a third Hamas parliament member, Ahmad Atoun, had his detention extended, Israel Radio reported Tuesday.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Office could not immediately confirm the report to The Times of Israel.

Israel immediately accused Hamas of being behind the June 12 abduction of Naftali Fraenkel, 16, Gil-ad Shaar, 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, from a hitchhiking post near Alon Shvut, in the West Bank.

An Israeli operation, dubbed “Brother’s Keeper,” that was launched in response included a massive search to locate the teens and a heavy crackdown on West Bank Hamas members. Hundreds were arrested.

The bodies of the three teens were found near Hebron on June 30, and later, in the wake of the 50-day Israel-Hamas conflict over the summer, Hamas officials admitted that members of the organization had killed them.